So I lasted another week at site before I left again. I really love site. But I also really love my PC friends. So, the weekends are a toss-up. This weekend Doug and I are in Chintheche at a Tonga Party. My buddy Melissa has a bwana house on the lake with running water and electricity, and its time to have another party. Should be a jolly good time.
Notable things that happened this week:
-People came of fix the broken pipe that is preventing me from having running water. They fixed it for about an hour before they had to turn the water off again b/c they’re missing a part. It was still really exciting to see water coming out of the tap. Like, really exciting. Doug and I watched the shower running for a few minutes while the pipes cleared of months of dirt. Then I gave him a bath, which he didn’t really like.
-Its only been a week since I’ve had Doug and he’s definitely already getting fatter. I taught him how to come, sit, and jump so far. But we need to work on “stay.” Like, REALLY need to work on “stay.” And “drop it!” Luckily I have very few items of furniture, so teething damage is minimal. The neighborhood kids are warming up to him. Yesterday they were feeding him usipa (dried mini fish, like sardines) and trying to get him to chase them around.
-I attempted to make pumpkin jam. People have been giving me lots of pumpkins. What do you do with pumpkins besides carve them and smash them? I made “jam,” which really turned out to be very sugary syrup. But Doug and the kids like it. Better luck next time. I also made a pumpkin curry, which turned out to be bomb, until I ruined the rice I was gonna eat with it. I suck at cooking. Hardcore suck at cooking. Rob’s coming back with me this weekend after the Tonga Party to finish the mud stove, hopefully that’ll help.
-Helped out with an Under 5 clinic and two outreach clinics in near-by-ish villages. Outreach clinics involve me and Johnstone, one of the HSAs (Health Something Somethings at the health center) walking some distance through the mountains to weigh babies and distribute vitamins and give health talks. I’ve started talking to him and the Senior HAS about what projects need to be done. I need to get in touch with the Community Development Committee in one of the near-by-ish-yet-very-remote villages to work with them to get more protected shallow wells in their area. The one that they have (which serves 2000+ people) isn’t working so they’ve been getting their water from the river, NOT good, especially because of the cholera outbreak in Mzimba near-by-ish. They can’t get a borehole because the roads through the mountains won’t support the borehole-drilling truck. So that little project is high on my list. Also getting the District to fix my health center’s water tank and get them hooked up with electricity and maybe getting them an ambulance is up there.
-I also had a meeting with the secondary school headmaster who gave me math, biology, and life skills books to look at and start working on lesson plans for next term. I’ve never taught before. I’m nervous.
And that’s it for this week! Otherwise I’ve been camped out on my back porch attempting to cook and reading and half-heartedly studying up on Chitonga. I’m getting worse at the language. Awesome. Miss and love you all! Keep sending me mail! So far I’ve received 4 letters in 3 months. And none from my parents. They say that they’ve sent me stuff, but evidence points to the contrary. We went to the post office to talk up the postman and give him cookies so packages and letters will definitely get to me at this address:
Stacey Neilson
Private Bag 126
Mzuzu, Malawi
Southern Africa
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